SledDawg Posted October 7, 2020 Share Posted October 7, 2020 Heller Gloster Javelin T.3, in the Heller/Humbrol box. Looks like I paid about $10.00USD for this, probably in the late 80s. I think I thought I was going to build a bunch of trainers, since in the same stash box that I hadn't looked in for years I found an Airfix Bulldog, a T-38, L-39, Alpha Jet, CT-114, etc. Guess I better get at it now! 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wez Posted October 7, 2020 Share Posted October 7, 2020 Hurrah! I'm glad somebody is doing one of these. In answer to your earlier query in the chat thread, the T.3 was the original Heller kit from 1981, catalogue number 346). It was criticised as a subject choice because it wasn't one of the operational fighters but as every operational squadron used one, it was a good choice if you wanted to display a large range of unit markings. Regardless of whether you think Heller moulded the correct mark or not, it's a lovely kit, easily the best Javelin in 1/72nd still. The Airfix connection is that Airfix during the Humbrol days took the T.3 moulds and permanently changed them to make the FAW.9, whilst they converted the nose to the British radar equipped fighter style nose, they copped out on the rear fuselage, the just changed the empennage to look like a FAW.9 however, that area on a FAW.9 is much bulkier than a T.3 so it's a bit skinny back there. If you had the pen-nib fairing from a T.3, you could use it with the FAW.9 as the basis for a FAW.1/4/5. Anyway, I digress... ...welcome to our little GB, good luck. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeterB Posted October 7, 2020 Share Posted October 7, 2020 (edited) 40 minutes ago, Wez said: The Airfix connection is that Airfix during the Humbrol days took the T.3 moulds and permanently changed them to make the FAW.9, whilst they converted the nose to the British radar equipped fighter style nose, they copped out on the rear fuselage, the just changed the empennage to look like a FAW.9 however, that area on a FAW.9 is much bulkier than a T.3 so it's a bit skinny back there. If you had the pen-nib fairing from a T.3, you could use it with the FAW.9 as the basis for a FAW.1/4/5. Anyway, I digress... ...welcome to our little GB, good luck. Hi Wez, I did! Cross kitted it with an old Frog Javelin in fact. to represent an FAW 5. Bit fiddly in terms of cutting etc but came out reasonably well I thought. The one on the left is a Chematic FAW 9 which many people thought was a reboxing of the old Frog kit but is rather better and comes with optional rear end for the FAW 7. Making the DIY decs for it was also quite challenging and the correct size roundels for the upper wings are hard to get. I think there is one pair on the Xtradecal sheet if you need them. Had to use slightly smaller ones on the FAW 9. Incidentally Airfix did release the original T3 for around a year before remoulding it permanently to the FAW 9 - it was one of their boxings I actually used. Good luck with the build. Pete Edited October 7, 2020 by PeterB 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wez Posted October 7, 2020 Share Posted October 7, 2020 Nice collection Pete, particularly like the Jav's. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeterB Posted October 7, 2020 Share Posted October 7, 2020 (edited) Wez, My conversion was from an article many years ago in Scale Aircraft Modelling and is a bit more involved that just sticking the rear end of the Heller kit onto the Airfix FAW 9. In this case you surgically remove the entire front fuselage from both the Frog and Heller/Airfix kits as far as the rear of the canopy, then graft the Frog front end onto the rest of the Heller kit, and use the Heller radome as well as it is a better shape than the Frog one. Bit brutal but if, unlike me, you can make accurate cuts with a razor saw, it actually is quite easy. And now I will, leave SledDawg to his build. Pete Edited October 8, 2020 by PeterB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rabbit Leader Posted October 8, 2020 Share Posted October 8, 2020 So good to see the big Jav on here. I recall buying this kit as a teenager, then being a little disappointed that it didn’t represent the fighter version (you would have thought that the “T“ in T.3 was a certain giveaway!). Anyway, I thought long and hard about making a home brew conversion, but decided to sell it on some time later. I still recall the lovely surface finish and details and loved the way the wheel hubs were moulded. Not sure why I never bothered to buy the FAW.9 when it got retooled, however did spoil myself with Airfix’s lovely 1/48 kit as soon as that beast came out! Good luck with the build and I hope you enjoy the GB. Cheers.. Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SledDawg Posted October 8, 2020 Author Share Posted October 8, 2020 (edited) Opening it up...: Edited October 8, 2020 by SledDawg 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SledDawg Posted October 8, 2020 Author Share Posted October 8, 2020 Wow, so this is in some ways a rare kit, eh? In that Airfix permanently modded the molds... Not that there aren't probably thousands of them in stashes all over the world!🤪 I'll try to do justice to it. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SledDawg Posted October 12, 2020 Author Share Posted October 12, 2020 The parts and decal sheet. Decals are a bit yellowed - gonna do the window-in-the-sun process... and a tiny bit off center I think. I hope they are usable after all these years. Any suggestions for alternates if not? 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rabbit Leader Posted October 12, 2020 Share Posted October 12, 2020 Those images are what I remember about this kit. Nice crisp silver parts and my decals were yellowed event when I bought mine new all those years ago. Looks good and looking forward to you making a start. Cheers.. Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeterB Posted October 12, 2020 Share Posted October 12, 2020 Hi SD, As I mentoned earlier the overwing roundels are a size (84" I believe) not I think used by anything else but there was one pair on the Xtradecals set of "D" type roundels X72041 and I suspect there may also have been a pair on the Modeldecal sheet many years ago. Other than that I have no idea, unless you could find a sheet in a larger scale - 56" in 1/48 I calculate. as to the rest of the markings and fin flashes then maybe you can use generic sheets. I ended up printing my own tail markings/badges on one of mine. Not sure what is available in your part of the world, but good luck! Pete Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JOCKNEY Posted November 2, 2020 Share Posted November 2, 2020 Hi @SledDawg How are you and the Javelin getting on since we last heard from you ? Cheers Pat Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JOCKNEY Posted January 1, 2021 Share Posted January 1, 2021 Hi @SledDawg Happy New Year to you. We haven't heard from you in a while, and I see you haven't been here on BM for a few months. It would be great to see the Javelin progress, but more importantly that you are OK. Take care Pat Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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